Journal des Dames et des Modes, Costumes Parisiens, 1912, No. 34 : Manteau de fillett (...) 1912

S. Sosboiie captured this little figure in pen and ink in 1912, at the height of Parisian fashion. Look at this girl! She is slightly doll-like, isn’t she? A toy on display? The artist’s hand seems so light. They must have been looking closely at the subject but also remembering it from another place, perhaps a dream? The blue is so quiet and still. It's contained in the small shape of the coat, a calming frame for the girl's small hands folded at her front. The colors are so subtle, like the artist has blown the colors on to the paper. She has this dark looming hat with a fluffy edge, and the coat has a collar and cuffs to match. I wonder if the artist was thinking about what it's like to be a child, and how you dress them up like they're adults, but they’re not. All artists respond to one another across time, and painting is a form of embodied expression which embraces uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.